LibriVox recording of My First Book, by various authors. Read by Ruth Golding and Patti Cunningham.

This is not a children's book, as may be supposed from the title, but a collection of essays first published in The Idler magazine, in which over twenty well-known writers describe with characteristic style and humour their experiences in producing their first book... and getting it published.

The book is profusely illustrated, not only with portraits of the authors, but also with scenes and illustrations from the books discussed.

Authors include Jerome K. Jerome, R. L. Stevenson, Bret Harte, Rider Haggard, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mary Braddon. Full of charm, humour and pathos, this book is like a fireside chat with authors of the past, as well as being a fascinating insight into the literary scene of the late 19th century.

Details of authors and links to online texts of the books discussed by their authors in this book may be found on the LibriVox catalogue page for this item.

The listener is warned that a few of the chapters contain spoilers, especially in cases where the publisher insisted on the author changing the ending of his book. (Summary by Ruth Golding)

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This audio is part of the collection: The LibriVox Free Audiobook Collection
It also belongs to collections: Audio Books & Poetry; Community Audio

Artist/Composer: Various
Date: 2010-06-07
Source: Librivox recording of a public-domain text
Keywords: librivox; audio book; literary; literature; memoirs; author; writing; publishing; Walter Besant; James Payn; W. Clark Russell; Grant Allen; Hall Caine; Sims; Kipling; Conan Doyle; Braddon; Robinson; Rider Haggard; Ballantyne; Zangwill; Morley Roberts; David Christie Murray; Corelli; Jerome; John Strange Winter; Bret Harte; Q; Quiller-Couch; Buchanan; Stevenson

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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